CORTACHY TO PERTH. 257 



and behind them the boar resides which beat Wainman 

 and Dickin for the first prize at Stirling, as the 

 orange card on his van testifies. Little Partridge- 

 Cochins receive Annie's assurance of being " Wee 

 Petties ;" and she tells the story of a sick cock which 

 has been washed with hot vinegar and water for an 

 attack of cold, and quite " enjoyed its castor-oil and 

 a pill." Some little chickens just hatched are sharing 

 the warmth of the poultry cowhouse with an Ayrshire, 

 theexcellency of whose strength principally goes to the 

 fowls in the shape of curd. There, too, are all the 

 show-baskets lined with pink calico, and ready for 

 the next campaign ; and the dainty commissariat de- 

 partment is full of Indian-corn, oats, oatmeal, sharps, 

 and sacks of wheat galore, with lettuce-cabbage and 

 onion all ready for the chopper. On the ladder 

 leading to the loft sat " Mussie," an aged bantam. 

 It is getting quite " doited" in its head with in- 

 firmity, but Annie perceives it not. With her it is 

 still " a little wee monkey as happy as you like," and 

 it gets bits of egg as a solace from her breakfast, and 

 beef from her dinner. 



But Annie has not much time just now to spare for 

 endearments, as she is in the society of " Smith," 

 the cock turkey, which never condescends to feed off 

 the ground, but only out of hand, dish, or basket. 

 Mrs. Blair " hoped" he was 381bs., and he must cer- 

 tainly have been pretty near it, thanks to a loaf of 

 bread per diem. There are no whites among the 

 Inchmartine turkeys, which are principally of Ameri- 



